Duration: 2 hours

Type - Skip the line Uffizi Tour - small group tour

Lines at the Uffizi Gallery can last up to three hours, especially during peak season. Cruise past the lines on this guided tour and see Florence's most celebrated museum with an expert in Renaissance art.

Duration: 6.5 hours

Type of Service: Florence in a Day Combo Tour with David and Uffizi - small group tour

Duration: 3 hours

Type of Service: Best of Venice with St. Mark's Square & Water Taxi Boat Ride - semi-private tour

See all the top sights of Venice with this exclusive, semi-private tour, limited to only ten people or less per group. With commentary tailored by an expert, English-speaking guide to suit your group, you’ll learn more about Venice in just a few hours than many visitors do on an entire trip. And with such small group sizes, your guide will have more time to answer questions and tailor the pace of the tour to suit you.

Beat the Queues at St Mark's Basilica - First of all, we’ll head straight for the main attraction, to be sure that you have plenty of time to take it all in. St. Mark’s Basilica took 800 years to build with relics and monuments inside bought (or stolen) from all over Europe and Asia. Even St. Mark’s remains eventually ended up here (albeit through dubious means) when Crusaders stole them from Egypt. The queues here can be long but no worries, we have Skip the Line Access! Your guide will take you inside this cavernous space for an extended tour, pointing out mosaics that date all the way back to the 11th century and beautiful artworks. Then it’s up to the second floor for some stolen time inside this busy basilica. The terraces of St. Mark’s Basilica are worth a visit, not to mention the incredible views they offer over bustling Piazza San Marco below.

After our tour of St. Mark’s Basilica and Piazza San Marco, we’ll set out on a walking tour past some of Venice's best-known sights, along with some unlikely favorites. We spent a lot of hours traversing the city, trying to get the right balance of major landmarks and picturesque corners and discovered that much of the joy of visiting Venice is in the journey, walking from one spot to another through quiet residential streets and along canals. Our Venice walking tour will take you on such a journey.

You'll see Marco Polo’s house to hear about the Venetian son who went to sea one day and came back with stories of China; Campo SS Giovanni Paolo with its mix of architecture from so many ages; and the famous Bridge of Sighs. As you move from one spot to another, your guide will entertain you with stories of Venice, from informative tales about how the city has stayed afloat so long, to the whispers of scandal that make Venice such a captivating city. They’ll also point out features and buildings that you may never have noticed on your own.

Enjoy the Grand Canal on a Private Vessel - A visit to the Rialto Bridge, an incredible marble structure that cost Venice a small fortune to build but was certainly worth every penny, is a highlight of this journey, and it’s here where our walking part tour ends. Now it's time to take a seat on a private boat to enjoy the beauty of the city. The tour continues to the Grand Canal, the city’s main waterway which snakes its way past no less than 50 palaces, six churches, four bridges and two open-air markets. We’ll take to the water for a cruise that includes all these wonderful sights. Although many visitors opt to travel the Grand Canal by gondola this wide and hectic waterway is much better suited to the water taxis we use, which allow us to move quickly and easily along the canal without losing the intimacy of a smaller vessel.

Your tour will end at the famous Rialto Bridge. And there you have it, in only a few hours you have seen the very best of Venice from three entirely different perspectives: water, land and even air from the terraces of St. Mark’s Basilica.

Destination Sites:

• St. Mark's Basilica
• Terrace of St. Mark's
• Bridge of Sighs
• Grand Canal (from the water)
• Jewish Ghetto (from the water)
• Doge’s Palace (exterior)
• Columns of St. Mark and the Venetian Lion
• Campo SM Formosa
• Campo SS Giovanni e Paolo
• Marco Polo’s house (exterior)
• Rialto Bridge

Things to Know:

• Small group tour of 10 people or less
• 1-hour Grand Canal cruise by private boat (groups limited to 10 people)
• Skip the Line Access to St. Mark’s Basilica
• Entrance ticket to the terrace of St. Mark’s Basilica
• Headsets when appropriate, so you can always hear your guide
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
• Dress Code for St. Mark’s Basilica – men and women shoulders and knees must be covered, no sleeveless tops unless you bring a shawl with you. No shorts or mini dresses that exposed the knees.
• Tour is offered on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
• Tour starts at 2:30pm
• Meeting Point Location:Doge’s Palace – more details are given upon booking

Type of Service: Food Tasting Tour + Visit Accademia Gallery (Statue of David) – private tour

Duration: 2.5 hours

 Your tour will begin in central Florence, where you’ll meet up with your expert local guide and head straight to a local favorite café for a pastry/coffee. Enjoy samples of two different pastries and enjoy a cup of expresso or Florence’s famous hot chocolate drink. During your walking tour, your guide will provide historical commentary and local tidbits about famous landmarks, best places to eat and shop along the way.  Next up, you will visit a deli and sample a meat and cheese sampler at a local enoteca. Your final stop with is a visit to the Accademia Gallery with skip the line access.  The Accademia Gallery is the mandatory stop for all those who wish to admire Michelangelo's original David. This is only one of his masterpieces on display, others including the Palestrina Pietà, Saint Matthew, and the four unfinished Prisoners.   A fun, engaging history and architecture tour with food tastings.

Things to Know:

• Private guided tour with local expert guide
• Your guide will meet you at your accommodations if located in center city of Florence
• Your first stop will begin at a local Florentine café
• Tour time begins at 9:00am and concludes at 11:30am
• Admire some of the world's greatest pieces of Renaissance art
• See Michelangelo's 'David ' sculpture and other masterworks
• Visit Accademia Gallery with skip the line admission tickets/registration fees
• Stay to explore the museum on your own after the tour
• Tasting fees included in tour price 
• Tour must be booked 4 weeks in advance to secure skip the line access 
• Tour is for a minimum of 2 people not to exceed 6 persons
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes

Duration: 2 hours

Type of Service: Vatican Under the Stars Evening Tour - small group tour

Are you looking for unusual things to do in Rome? How about touring the Vatican at night? Not only does this special small group Vatican night tour let you skip the crowds, lines and heat, but it also provides a fresh way to see the Vatican’s amazing collections. If you aren’t an early morning person, or you just want less distractions as you enjoy the museum’s treasures, this is the best Vatican tour for you. This two hour tour includes:

- After-hours access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

- An English-speaking guide with expertise in art history

- Access to the treasures inside the Vatican without the heat and crowds

- A maximum group size of 13 people

Night Tour of Vatican Museums - Skipping the line, take a journey with your expert Vatican guide through art history as you walk through the rooms of the most fascinating “living” museums on earth. See works of art in the Pinecone Courtyard and a great view of St. Peter's Basilica. View sculptures handed down to us from the Ancient Romans in the Pio-Clementine Collection. Pass through the Candelabra Gallery, Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of the Maps as your guide explains the history and stories surrounding these art collections.

The School of Athens by Raphael - Learn about the complexities of Raphael's fresco in the former papal apartments. Raphael was one of Rome's most famous Renaissance artists and he encompassed all the ideals of a Renaissance man. He designed and frescoed multiple rooms connected to the Vatican Museums. In addition to other masterpieces, visit one of Raphael’s most famous works of art, The School of Athens.

The Sistine Chapel at Night - Our evening Vatican tour concludes in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, where the ceiling and the altar wall are adorned by world-famous and inspiring frescoes. Only when you enter the Sistine Chapel is it clear how high the ceiling is and how many paintings are up there. At this point, it is impossible not to appreciate how difficult it must have been for Michelangelo to lay on his back and toil at his masterpiece, year after year. Since the Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums, it is included in your Vatican tour tickets.

The Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, therefore, speaking inside is not allowed. Since our guide cannot explain the frescoes while you are inside, we explain the Chapel in advance and provide you with a map/handout for reference before you enter. Men and women must cover their knees and shoulders before entering. We understand the summers in Rome get hot, a good alternative is to bring a scarf or shawl to cover up with before you enter.

Take Your Time and Explore the Collections - If you want to stay inside the Vatican Museums after the conclusion of your evening tour, go right ahead! The museums remain open for another two hours after the guided tour concludes. Take your time and revisit your favorite works of art or simply wander around taking in the intense beauty of your surroundings. 

Things to Know

• Tour is offered April - October
• Tour is offered on Friday nights only
• Tour is offered at 6:45pm /Tour check in at 6:30pm
• VIP After Hours Access
• This tour does not include a visit to St. Peter's Basilica because it is closed at night.
• Meeting point location: in front of Caffe Vaticano, directly across the street from the Vatican Museums Entrance on Viale Vaticano. A representative will be there holding a sign with the tour name on it – more details are provided upon booking
• Cover your knees and shoulders - avoid shorts, and skirts/dresses and tank tops that do not cover your knees and shoulders. If you're a woman and you are wearing something that bares your shoulders, bring a shawl or sweater.
• Comfortable walking shoes or tennis shoes are highly recommended
• No tripods, large purses or large backpacks can be brought into the museums

Duration: 3.5 hours

Type of Service: Privileged Entrance Vatican Walking Tour with Sistine Chapel – small group tour

Our Privileged Entrance Vatican Tour starts at 7:30a.m. and we enter the Vatican Museums just after 8:00a.m. (an hour earlier than general public access). As a result, witness the jaw-dropping Sistine Chapel before the masses of people stream in. After visiting the Sistine Chapel, our professional English-speaking guide will take you back through the highlights of the Vatican Museums. Then pass back through the Sistine Chapel and head to St. Peter’s Basilica. One of our most popular Rome tours, this 3.5-hour Vatican tour includes:

• - Skip the line Vatican tickets
• - Small group size of 14 people
• - Tour starts at 7:30am /entry to museums shortly after 8:00am
• - A professional English-speaking guide
• - Skip the line entrance to St. Peter's Basilica

First stop is a visit to the Sistine Chapel before it’s open to the general public. Since the Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums, it’s included in your Vatican Museums ticket. When you enter the Sistine Chapel, you’ll realize our descriptions cannot do this incredible work justice. As well as being one of Michelangelo’s most prized masterpieces, the Sistine Chapel also serves as a gathering place for cardinals of the Catholic Church. This is also where new popes are elected - including Pope Francis! The Sistine Chapel is a place of worship, so speaking inside is forbidden. Don’t worry though, your guide will provide you with a map/handout for reference before you enter. *The Sistine Chapel is a sacred place, so both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders. Otherwise, you may be refused entry to a portion of your Vatican tour. We understand the summers in Rome are hot - a great alternative is to bring a shawl/sweater to wrap around you when necessary.

The Best Galleries at the Vatican - Led by our guide, visit our favorite galleries including the Borgia Apartments, Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Tapestries and the Gallery of the Maps. Predating a unified Italy by nearly 300 years and based on painted topographical maps of Italy, the Gallery of the Maps is one of the coolest places in the Vatican Museums. One of the frescoes contains the image of a sea monster - see if you can spot it!

Raphael Rooms - The term Renaissance literally means "rebirth" and refers to the period of European civilization that produced a great revival in art, literature and learning. Raphael was one of Rome's most famous Renaissance artists who encompassed all the ideals of a Renaissance man. He designed and frescoed multiple rooms connected to the Vatican Museums. Among other masterpieces, you’ll see one of Raphael’s most famous works of art, The School of Athens.

Skip the Line St. Peter’s Basilica - St. Peter's Basilica is the grand centerpiece of the Vatican. Imagine walking into the biggest church you've ever seen, filled with artwork from all the famous Italian artists you learned about in school. Skip the lines that wait outside in St Peter's Square as you access the basilica from the inside, through a special side entrance our guides can use. Once inside, admire masterpieces that include the Baldacchino, La Pieta, the statue of St. Peter and more. While it is free to enter, this guided tour helps you make the most of it, without suffering the long lines. 

Things to Know

• Tour is offered March – December
• Tour is offered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday – no tours on Wednesday and Sunday
• Tour is offered at 7:30am /Tour check in at 7:15am
• Meeting point location: Between Hotel Alimandi and Caffé Vaticano, at the top of the big staircase (Viale Vaticano,100). A representative will be there holding a sign with the tour name on it – more details are provided upon booking
• Tour will be closed on these holidays and special events – March 19, April 9 and 22, June 29, August 15, November 1 and December 26
• Cover your knees and shoulders - avoid shorts, and skirts/dresses and tank tops that do not cover your knees and shoulders. If you're a woman and you are wearing something that bares your shoulders, bring a shawl or sweater.
• Comfortable walking shoes or tennis shoes are highly recommended
• No tripods, large purses or large backpacks can be brought into the museums

Duration: 3 hours

Type of Service: Food Lover's Tour: Tasting at Florence’s Hidden Classics and Gems – small group tour

Florence is home to the some of the best foods and family run bottegas. On this food tour in Florence, we will have the bonus of strolling the historical center of town with a local expert while tasting the regions finest specialties on this fun, informative food lover's crawl. You’ll visit a mix of classic culinary institutions and hidden gems on the tiny streets off famous squares. You will visit artisan purveyors such as bakers, family-owned bottegas procuring goods from their own farms and local wines, a truffle cafe, institutional gelato parlors and more. You'll taste prized ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, caliber vintage prosecco, aged balsamic vinegar, local cheeses (ewe's milk pecorino), artisan cured meats, and learn all about Florentine's food history while getting a sense of the city with this specialty gourmet walk. This tour is a must for true food lovers who want to get down to the grain of the local food culture while meeting the city's most cherished bottegas, with a touch of sightseeing and main square orientation.

Highlights:

• Small-group, culinary tour of Florence with a local, passionate expert
• 5 gourmet tasting pit-stops, with wine at 2 stops
• Crash course into Florentine food culture and traditional Tuscan goods
• Guided walking tour in the center of Florence, tasting at both cult classics and hidden nooks
• Traditional Tuscan sweet pastries like rice pudding budino or chocolate semolino tartlets with Italian roasted espresso
• Snack like a royal at king-approved truffle cafe’ for Florence’s famous panino tartufato with bubbles
• Visit classic bakeries for Tuscany’s schiacciata flatbreads along with seasonal delicacies (wine grape pie, sweet chestnut & pine nut cake castagnaccio, etc)
• Farmstead quality cheese and cured meat tasting with locally produced wine
• Savor in Italian excellence via tastings of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from around Italy & Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Wine tastings included (i.e. bubbly with truffles, local red wine with prosciutto, etc)
• Meeting local characters and purveyors
• Wholly artisanal gelato, gelato judge approved
• ...and more!

Our gourmet food tours in Florence are perfect for discerning food lovers, chefs, bakers, cooks, farm-to-table eaters and Italian culture enthusiasts. After your food tour, you will feel more confident to return to these shops and know what defines the traditional food landscape. Be prepared for genuine backdoor journey through these local-loved food shops.

 Things to Know

• Small group tour food walking tour - 8 people or less
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
• Tour begins at 3:00pm /Tour check in 2:45pm
• Tour is available for youth 12 years old to adults
• Inquire about discount rates for children ages 12 - 17 years old
• Meeting Point Location: Piazza Signoria – more details are given upon booking

Duration: 5 hours

Type of Service: Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class at a Farmhouse in Tuscany - small group class

Learn to make these Italian classics in an idyllic setting in the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

Under the guidance of a professional Italian chef you will be taken on a cultural journey learning the skills and inside tricks of making the best mouth-watering pizza and gelato right in the country where they were born.

The beautiful estate that offers stunning views over the surrounding hills just outside the center of Florence provides the perfect setting to roll up your sleeves and get hands on when learning the process from making and kneading the dough to choosing the perfect topping for your pizza. Some ingredients for your pizza are picked from our very own vegetable garden.

You will be able to relax and enjoy the delicious pizza cooked in our wood oven with a glass of Chianti wine or a cold beer before you get started on the gelato making. By the end of the class you will feel confident enough to re-produce the food at home impressing your lucky guests!

Being both a fun but instructive class this hands-on pizza and gelato making class will be one of the most memorable parts of your trip to Tuscany.

 Highlights

• Small-group pizza and gelato making class at a breathtaking farmhouse set in the rolling hills of Tuscany!
• Learn the insider tips and special techniques from our professional chef
• Hands on experience: learn to make Pizza and home-made Gelato
• Enjoy the food accompanied by wine and beer

 Things to Know

• After meeting the professional chef in our centrally located office you will be transported directly to our beautiful private estate in the hills just above Florence where you will start to live the full Italian experience.
• On arrival you will be able to appreciate the stunning views over gorgeous countryside as you taste the traditional 'fettunta' and enjoy a glass of Chianti wine whilst listening to the culture behind Italy's most famous food, pizza and gelato.
• By this time you will be eager to get hands on. The professional chef will teach you the art of dough making and kneading and will give you all the inside tips in order to easily produce the same result back home where you'll be able to impress your friends and family. You'll learn about the different ways to make pizza depending on the region.
• Next it will be time to get creative as you use the ingredients picked from our very own vegetable garden and choose from the many traditional toppings the Italians love. The pizza will be cooked in our wood oven to give it the traditional flavor that will make you feel proud as you sit down and enjoy your pizza with more wine or beer.
• The fun continues as you then learn the special techniques to make your very own gelato. You will make creamy gelato with unique toppings/sauces and though you may always want to reproduce these same toppings the chef will make sure you have an adequate understanding in order to be able to experiment at home!
• You will leave feeling satisfied, excited and with wonderful memories that you will be able to take home with you!
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes and casual attire – you will be working in an outdoor kitchen
• Upon arrival from the parking lot – you will walk down a set of stairs to reach the outdoor kitchen and vegetable garden
• Meeting Point Location:  more details are given upon booking (center city of Florence)
• Tour is offered Monday – Saturday at 2:30pm

Duration: 3 hours

Type of Service: Family Friendly Discover Florence Walking Tour - private tour

Explore the most important sites in Florence with your very own privately guided walking tour. 

Meet your guide at your hotel accommodations in the center city to begin your fascinating and fun tour of Florence for families with children. Your kid-friendly guide will keep the younger minds engaged with interesting history and tidbits. Follow your guide through the historic center of Florence to see the ancient Ponte Vecchio, the most famous bridge that crosses the Arno River. See the sculptures in the open-air loggia on one side of the Piazza della Signoria. Admire the Palazzo Vecchio, where the Medici family once lived, and the exterior of the Uffizi Gallery, which was once the Florentine government offices. Visit an outdoor market and rub the nose of a boar statue for good luck – the Porcellino. See the Piazza della Repubblica and visit Florence's magnificent Duomo. Your tour will finish at the San Lorenzo Market, where you can shop, or check out the food stalls. Taking this tour early in your visit to Florence means you'll get great tips and information for the rest of your stay.

Things to know:

• Learn fascinating facts about the city of this walking tour with a licensed guide
• Private tour with English-speaking guide / local Florentine resident
• Cool off with a complimentary gelato
• Private tour ensures fun and personalized experience for the whole family
• Not recommend for children age 6 and under
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes – casual attire
• No interior visits to churches or museums
• Tour is offered March – December
• Tour is offered Monday – Friday at 9:00am or 2:00pm
• Tour begins from your hotel located in center city of Florence or designated location
• Tour will end in the center city of Florence
• Tour can be customized around your preferences to include shopping and fun food stops along the way
• Tour does not operate the last week in August and the first week of September

Type of Service: 1 Hour with David - Accademia Gallery Tour - small group walking tour

Duration: 1.5 hours

An exclusive cultural experience: easy, hassle-free priority entrance to Florence's Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo's awe-inspiring David! 
Admired and acclaimed by experts and travelers worldwide. This amazing sculpture is not only one of the greatest works of art ever, it is also an icon of the Renaissance, one of the most revolutionary artistic periods of all times. 
Carved from a single block of far-from-perfect Carrara marble when Michelangelo was only in his twenties the sculpture is truly impressive. Enjoy the chance to learn about this sculpture and much more from your experienced professional guide! 

The massive statue - over 5.17 meters (17 ft) tall - represents the biblical David who killed Goliath with a stone from a slingshot. You will note how perfectly it depicts the young hero's limbs, muscles, veins, and find out that when it was finished, in 1504, it was placed at the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio to be admired by the people as an inspiring symbol of the strength and independence of the Florentines. 
In addition to presenting the David your guide will explain how to appreciate Michelangelo's striking Prisoners and St. Matthew, as well as talk about many of the other remarkable works of art exhibited in the Accademia, including religious paintings, many with gold-background by major artists from the 13th to the 17th century, sculptures by 19th-century masters, and more.

Please note that entrance to the museum entails mandatory security check which may cause delays in access even with skip-the-line priority tickets.

Things to Know:

• Meet the authentic Michelangelo's David under the guidance of an art-history-expert professional guide
• Discover other Michelangelo's and other masterpieces in this world-renowned Florence museum
• Tour is offered Tuesday - Sunday / Closed on Mondays
• Tour begins at 1:00pm / Tour check-in at 12:45pm
• Small group tour of 25 people or less
• Skip the Line Entrance to Accademia Gallery
• English speaking guide
• Headsets when appropriate
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
• Meeting point location: Piazza Repubblicca - more details provided upon booking